http://www.saintsrlf.../news/page/2741
So we were force were we Otto.don't think so but this statement just like the Dennis Betts statement and comments from millwards highlights again how the SL clubs view these arrangements,clear they see it more about keeping any player fit rather than developing younger players.What a mess

I'm sure every link up club will be forced to play a player/s at some point DKW I'm sure it's part of the agreements because its to help the SL clubs not the champ clubs. The link up teams are just a toy so to speak to get the SL clubs players up to scratch.

RFL's response to a fan about goings on at swinton and its clear they are going to stick with this system

Dear Brian

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the Swinton and Warrington partnership however all activity, which has been fully disclosed by the clubs to, is within the current regulations. As with all regulations the RFL will monitor, review and, if necessary, adapt things moving forward. With the RFL concentrating on four strands of the sport i.e. international, full time, semi-professional and community, a constant consideration is how a change to one will affect the other. At all times we wish to find the right balance on these matters and clearly want to have thriving clubs and competitions.

Picking up on your specific point I can confirm six Warrington players have recently transferred to Swinton, all of whom were ineligible to play in this season’s U19s competition due to being in the U21 and U20 age categories. Having taken the view point they were not going to play many, if any, games in the first team in 2013 all six players have agreed to the transfer arrangements and their new employment contract with Swinton Lions RLFC. These players are now not registered or contracted with Warrington Wolves and therefore do not count towards the regulation regarding only allowing 5 loan and/or dual registered players in any matchday 17.

I can confirm none of these players had a contract with Warrington until the end of 2015, as annual extension clauses which are in favour of the club do not guarantee the player employment. Using an example, if the contract is for 1 year with annual options in the clubs favour to extend this on an annual basis for a further 2 years; it could be viewed as a 3 year deal when it is actually a 1 year deal with 2 years of options. Many contracts for young players are put in this way and if the player in the example contract was underperforming then it would be likely the club would not take up the option and player would be without a contract after 12 months.

The players permission is essential in all of this and shouldn’t be forgotten. Even if a club wants a player (back or otherwise) it is still the decision of the player to sign the playing contract put forward. With this in mind, even if Warrington wanted to resign one of these players at the end of the Swinton contract, the player is free to refuse this and sign with another club.

11 of the 13 British Super League clubs have a formal partnership with 14 clubs in the Championships in 2013. Having a good majority of clubs involved in such partnership arrangements shows the regulation is meeting a need within the clubs, both Super League and Championships. If there to be any regulation changes in the sport these will be made at the end of 2013.

I hope this response helps in some way and I will ensure my colleague Ralph Rimmer is across this correspondence.

At least they replied I suppose. But it looks like the situation isn't going to improve any time soon with that statement. It will probably get worse another ball dropped from the RFL. The sooner these people are removed the better.

I received a very similar response from Jon Roberts at the RFL except he wouldn't discuss specific contracts. There was a paragraph in the reply I received that is not in Mr Thair's reply, that reads, :-

"Having a good majority of clubs involved in such partnership arrangements shows the regulation is meeting a need within clubs, both SL and Championship. A number of the partnerships between SL and Championship clubs have resulted in players being transferred as this was an aspect of transition that should not occur next year".

The e-mail response finishes with, "

All aspects will be considered (in the end of year review) as to whether this approach provides a more effective measure to develop professional players and enhance the competition".

Reading those responses it does look as if we are stuck with this system at least until the end of the year.

I remember when .............................

"It is impossible not to feel a twinge of sympathy for Workington Town, the fall guys this season for the Super League's determination to retain it's European dimension, in the shape of Paris. While the French have had every assistance to survive, the importance of having a flagship in a heartland area like West Cumbria has been conveniently forgotten." - Dave Hadfield - Independent 25th August 1996.

All those players are still in Warringtons first team squad, according to their website.
Swinton now have a way of funding the stadium plans - if you believe the RFL (and at this point we probably have to with the above statement) then Swinton can now sell those 6 players.
We are going to be stuck with the system, and the farce that naming Leuluai became. Whats the betting Hunslet under-perform with this weeks 'is he playing isn't he playing?"

Interesting quotes from Tony Smith only a few weeks ago about his young players who have now 'signed' for Swinton from the Boxing Day game vs Widnes (team contained Mendieka and Shaw) :

Entitled "Investment in Youth Paying Dividends"

“We had 17 British players on the field and all but three are home grown, which we are really pleased about and demonstrates how much investment we have put into developing young players and talent coming through.
Just about every player who played a part (against Widnes) will hopefully play a part throughout the year in the first team as they are all potential first-team players.”
Smith is hopeful that a number of home-grown talents will take the next step and make their competitive first-team debuts in either the Challenge Cup or Super League this season.

Little did they know that a few days later after inspection of the RFL's paper-thin regulations they'd be off to Swinton.

Load of rubbish,offered 4 players took 2 our choice ,but no suprise town fans trying to spin it ,we were forced and workington are using the system how it should be used.Remember it was Widnes who DR the full squad ,did town have any say in that .A floored system in many ways

Load of rubbish,offered 4 players took 2 our choice ,but no surprise town fans trying to spin it ,we were forced and workington are using the system how it should be used.Remember it was Widnes who DR the full squad ,did town have any say in that .A flawed system in many ways

So I am making it up? Wrong... Haven were told they must play a DR player this weekend. I'm not trying to stir things up, Happen to work with a couple of very well connected Haven fans and tend to believe what they tell me as it usually turns out to be true.

"i hate workington town fans with a passion they are the biggest cry babies in rl and boy do they get jealous easy"- Choccy 2012

"if it wernt for me they would have nowt at all to talk about" - Choccy 2012